How to save food during a power outage

ABS-CBN News

MANILA – Typhoons such as Glenda, which hit parts of the Philippines on Tuesday and Wednesday, can cause power outages and put your food supply at risk.

Dr. Macario Diaz, a microbiologist and parasitologist at the FEU-Nicanor Reyes Medical Foundation – Institute of Medicine, reminded the public to be extra careful when handling and preparing food during a power outage, citing the higher risk for food poisoning and other diseases caused by the spread of bacteria.

He added that even food in the refrigerator and freezer are unsafe to eat if the power outage lasts for several hours.

“Kadalasan kasi in less than two hours, pwedeng dumami ang bacteria eh,” he said in an interview on the ABS-CBN morning show “Umagang Kay Ganda” on Friday.

Here are some of Diaz’s tips on how to save food during a power outage:

* Keep your refrigerator and freezer closed as much as possible. An unopen refrigerator can keep food cold of up to four hours, while a freezer can keep food frozen for one to two days.